The invention relates to a contact structure for a multiple semiconductor component made from a number of two-terminal individual elements having individual finger-shaped extensions for one contact of each element in each case and with a large area connecting contact with which are connected the other contacts of an entire group of elements.
For example, when manufacturing infra-red detector cells it is necessary to arrange a plurality of individual cells in a row. In order to manufacture these infra-red detectors it is necessary to proceed so that a semiconductor layer sensitive to infra-red light is applied to a carrier body. This semiconductor layer is comb-shaped and comprises a wide limb from which emanate numerous finger-shaped tongues parallel to each other and in one direction. This comb-shaped semiconductor layer is covered by a contact metal over its entire surface, the said contact metal only leaving a small gap in the transition region between the finger-shaped tongues and the broad limb free. This gap, only in which infra-red light can fall in the semiconductor layer, forms a detector cell in each case which is connected on the one hand to the wide limb and on the other hand to a finger-shaped tongue. A connection, namely the wide limb connecting the tongues together is thus common to all of the detector cells.
The know structure has the disadvantage that the spacing between two finger-shaped tongues at the outer edge of the structure cannot be reduced as desired since contacting wires must be applied to the ends of the tongue-shaped connectors.